The Man We Knew
by LucyLu71958
Summary: (Sasuke Dies Revamp) I can feel myself fleeting, barely hanging on with the help of strangers, and you are going to be the last thing on my mind.


Hey everyone! I know, I'm a terrible updater - sorry! School has me terribly busy, but I'll update stories as I can. This is a revamp of 'Sasuke Dies', which will now be called 'The Death of Him', or maybe just Sasuke Dies Revamp *shrugs*. Hope you enjoy!

~~~~LucyLu71958~~~~~

Lying on the cold, hard ground I cannot help but to let my thoughts wander. They wander to the past, then to the future I will never have, weaving back and forth as easy as thread. I think about my old village and friends, and the life I could have had with them had I not been so foolish. Yes, foolish, bitterly, bitterly foolish. I'm lost and fearing what is to come. Ninjas are not afraid of death, nor do they worry when it is taking them, gently pushing them into an abyss big enough to hold an eternity; but I was never so fearless. I guess you would laugh at that, hoping to get a fuss out of me. How I wish to be in that comforting situation, if even for just one more second.

I can hear people, friends or foe I am unsure, coming towards me. Large thuds sound through my ears as they get closer. Gasping, they are finally surrounding me, assessing me, trying to see if I will attack. I inwardly laugh, of course I won't attack them - even if I had the strength to move, I don't want my last moments to be spent letting you down again. I can faintly see an outline of a small boy, maybe of the age of seven, and a hunched man, seemingly much older. The boy gasped, whispering to the old man in hushed concern - or, possibly, he's screaming and I just cannot hear him.

Sometimes, I think of you and smile - yes, idiot, I do smile - because you were always so energetic. Yes, energetically annoying at times, but even so - you never ceased to brighten my day. I guess it would be hard to make the day darker, with all of the bright orange you insisted on wearing. Maybe if I had stayed with you, you orange idiot, I might have survived tonight.

I have a question - you always said you would forgive me, no matter what, so, as I lay here, dying - do you have the heart to keep that promise? I don't know if anyone else in the world would every say that and mean every syllable of it until the end of time... But you, you are different, aren't you? You believe in me, you believe I will come back one day, even after all this time has passed...

I ran from the darkness that threatened to swallow me whole, and in return I went to an even bigger evil - making too many wrong turns to find my way back. Now, what I ran from has engulfed me whole - I can no longer take a route that is pure at all, even if I tried. I guess you would call me a coward, yell and scream at me, and try to drag me back again. At least, that's the person I used to know you were. No matter what I did, you always came back - ranting and raving each time anew.

I'll admit, I am a liar. I knew that the day you found Orochimaru's hide out, I was lying to you. Lying, saying that I would kill you, and claiming to sever my bonds with everyone from my past. Even I would say that was cowardly. I know the look you would have on your face, the look of utter shock and disbelief - 'where did you take my teammate, and how did you hide the giant stick up his ass?' is what you would probably say. My pride kept me from ever saying I was scared or lonely, and how I wish my pride had left me years ago - maybe I wouldn't be dying right now without it.

The man above me is shouting now, telling the boy to help pressure my wounds, shouting to the skies to keep me alive tonight. If I could, I would scoff - I am already a dead man. Still, they keep going, trying to cover my wounds, hoping everything will work out for the better. In some way, I hope it will work out, too - but then, what would I do? Thank them and continue on my way, avoiding ninja and hoping the next time I almost die I am once again near ignorant people? I would rather die than live that life for another day. Ah, you are so predictable - right about now, you would shout at me to come home again instead, so I would not have to life like that. Is life ever so simple?

My limbs are long numb, and my eyes are slowly getting foggier and foggier, as if I were traveling the sea as a storm was brewing. These strangers continue to forge on, trying to save a soul on this damned, cold night. Funny, how strangers are trying to save a man who could not even save himself, although I am sure you would say different. My memories are getting sharp and fuzzy all at the same time, I see all of these scenes like an old movie play through my mind.

Before I die, I have some regrets to share with you. I had always loved my brother, even though he did the same thing I did - took wrong turns, not being able to take them back. I also want to say I am sorry - sorry to Sakura, sorry to Kakashi, sorry to the whole village... I hurt them, and it was so very stupid of me to do. I messed up in my life with a lot of people - there are so many things I want to apologize for, and so many things I will never get the chance to say...

What is your name? I'm trying so hard to remember it, but everything is getting fuzzy. So very fuzzy...

Naruto. That is your name. Naruto, my best friend... Naruto, the one I hurt the most... Naruto, the who would always come back for me... Naruto, the one I loved. Naruto, the one I so painfully, painfully loved. I can't tell you how much I loved you, Naruto.. Not just as a friend, or a best friend, or even a brother... I wished we could be together, I ogled you like you ogled Sakura. How I wish I would have told you - but now, it is too late. I guess that's what I get, right, Naruto?

One last thing - thank you so very much. I loved my life, even though it was screwed up and I made the wrong decision every single turn... It was a fun ride, one of the best I would say. So, thank you, Naruto. I hope you become hokage. Do me a favor, too - don't be too mad at me, and don't get sad, either. I'd hate to have to see you cry.

On that night, Sasuke Uchiha died, leaving nothing behind but a smile on his face as his eyes dimmed. There was no funeral, and for months after the event there was only one question - what happened to make the missing ninja disappear?


End file.
